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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mug · bore · wake · foot · key · nail · saw · spell

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. spell — letters
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. key — the most important part
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. saw — the tool
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. wake — a trail
  10. spell — a short time
  11. bore — to drill
  12. mug — a face
  13. saw — the tool
  14. foot — a measure
  15. mug — to rob
  16. mug — a cup
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. key — for a lock
  21. key — in music
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. spell — magic
  24. bore — to tire

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com